Part 1
The relationship between the brothers Matteo and Nicola is the main focus of the film. While each of them has their own unique set of character traits, Nicola is far simpler and easier to understand. On the other hand, Matteo is very interesting and hard to read. His character can first be read as the defiant son. His father does not understand him well, as he interjects into his studies and struggles to help Matteo, since his motivation is unclear. While at first he comes off as an academic who keeps to himself, possibly as a lack of ability for social interaction, his archetype swiftly changes. After walking out of his exam, he disproves this judgment that the audience would have made of him. Alongside this, the way he treats Giorgia with aggression shows his inhibition for sympathy and patience. Matteo is undisciplined and lacks direction in his life. There is a stark juxtaposition to this when he joins the Army. Matteo betrays his personality by this action, he seeks order in his life and structure, and the Army gives him a clear purpose and direction. This can be seen especially by his leaving the exam, showing his disagreement and struggles with others, which he thinks can be overcome by the seriousness of his career choice. In a sense, he boxes himself into the military, removing any opportunity for defiance and planting himself on a steady path. While he once again seems a one dimensional person, his morals are further developed in the tragedy of Luigi and his disagreement with Giulia. Matteo cares deeply for his loved ones, and has a clear set of beliefs on what is right or wrong. His sympathy is proven in his argument that the protestors are rich, privileged people, who are only hurting the poor for their own entertainment. It is an abstract view on the conflict that shows his deep understanding of things and his willingness to help others (along with Giorgia), however his lack of control over his aggression and frustration is still an issue. Matteo is finding his own path, but it is evident there will be much expansion on his journey in the next part, as his character constantly develops. He is by far the most interesting character as he makes it difficult to be understood and related to, but when you are finally able to, it is very satisfying and can lead one to more thoroughly connect with people different than themselves, or find commonalities in their own personality.
Part 2
One of the more interesting stories within the film is the relationship between Nicola and Giulia. The initial attraction is based upon the perception of them both being free spirits. Giulia is a girl that plays the piano in the middle of chaos, and Nicola is the only one bold enough to approach her. This relationship works initially when they are both protestors, however there are subtle character changes that are important to follow. With the birth of Sara, Nicola changes his focus to being a father. He matures quickly, he is no longer the free spirit that dives naked into a river with strangers, but instead a responsible and realistic man. Giulia does not mature appropriately as she should– becoming a mother, this is reinforced by her later statement that she is not good with kids and does not know what to do. In a way she almost regresses. The Red Brigade and anarchism consumes her whole. She cannot stray her mind from it. This is further marked by her loss of interest in the piano, ultimately selling it, as a symbol for her loss of passion for the greater things in life. When she finally attempts to leave, Nicola’s willingness to let her go should not be seen as his obedience to her will, or lack of ability to stand up, but as an educated decision for the well-being of Sara. He knows Giulia will only bring pain and distress to their family, that she is not a good role model, and above all Sara must be kept away from the extremeness of the anarchist her mother is so enamored with. Giulia is strict and firmly set in her beliefs, which complimented Nicola as a parent, but now he must find a way to replace this. His anger at Sara for disobeying his decision to go to fencing practice can be interpreted on the basic level as his attempts to fill the parental void left by Giulia, and his inability to do it properly. While this can also be seen as a nod to the themes of loss of freedom, it should be examined on a more basic and human level first.
Part 3
The film Best of Youth is a quality telling of multiple peoples’ life stories, and how they intersect. For the runtime (six hours), there is a surprising amount of content that is delved through, and the plot is able to explore several characters’ intricacies. However, this is the biggest downfall of the film. With so many characters, not all of them can be examined fully, but the film attempts to anyways. By the end of the film it is obvious that the purpose of the script is to cause the audience to reflect on several themes of life, but they could have been reached in a much more effective manner. A six hour runtime is far too long to keep audiences engaged, not to say it's not interesting throughout, but it is exhausting to watch. There are too many characters introduced that are unimportant by the end of the film. Luigi, Vitale, and Giorgia are all but useless to the plot, and serve as up to an hour of filler one must sit through before they can examine the themes. In the same light, Giulia and her Red Brigade is not even essential to the story, as Sara’s character is hardly developed, and Nicola moves on swiftly in a practical sense. In essence, the film is overly ambitious with the stories it tries to portray. The film needs to pick a main character, which it fails to do, leaving the audience wondering if they are supposed to empathize with Nicola or Matteo. It should be clear that Nicola tells the less compelling story, and a screenplay centered on Matteo could have more transparently communicated the director's vision, as well as allowing genuine depth to the exploration of a character. Had the film followed this route, it would have been significantly shorter, more engaging, and clear in its message. The eagerness to tell a million lives is what prevents the movie from being great, constraining itself to the lackluster.
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